Clamp for wire cables



May 20, 1952 J. EDER CLAMP FOR? WIRE CABLES 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed Oct. 30, 1947 FIG.|

J. E'DER CLAMP FOR WIRE CABLES May 20, 1952 2 Sl-IEETS--SI'IEET 2 Filed 001:; 50, 1947 FIG. 4

FIG. 7 4% e me. e

INVENTOR 1247771 Eder Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT d,oT-ice CLAMP FOR WIRE CABLES .lohn Eder, St. Albans, N. Y.

Application October 30, 1947, Serial No. 783,194

9 Claims.

This invention relates to clamps for wire cables, and particularly to an improved device adapted to grip and to hold securely Wire cables such as are employed for various purposesin the building and shipping industries.

To form a loop at the end of a wire cable, it has been necessary heretofore to employ a clamp comprising two or more co-operating parts which are secured together by bolts. The handling of such devices requires considerable time, since the ybolts must be inserted and removed at the beginning and end of each operation. Two men are sometimes required to handle the clamp, and at present wage levels the operation is unnecessarily costly.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved clamping device which facilitatesinsertion of and removal of the cable and automatically grips and securely holds'the cable under tension.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a self-locking cable clamp which may be easily released at Will and is simple, effective, safe and relatively inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification andthe accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 ofY Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rear of the device with the cover plate removed;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the position of `certain of the parts in clamping position;

Fig. 6 isa similar view showing the parts in releasing position; and

Fig. '7 is a section view through the gripper elements.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates a casing having a front wall 6, side and end walls 'I and 8, and a cover 9 `at the rearward side which is secured by screws I to the casing and is readily removable to permit access to the mechanism. A-separate compartment II, having a cover I2 secured by removable screws I3 and I4 to the .casing is also provided in the casing. The purpose of this compartment will be described hereinafter.

The casing and the parts of the mechanism to be described must be of sturdy construction preferably of steel or similar metal adapted to withstand at least the breaking tensile strength ofa 5/'steel wirehoisting cableor about 30,000 pounds. Of course. the size and strength of the 2 device will depend upon the purposes to which it is to be put and the size ofthe cable to beused in connection therewith.

A slot I5 is formed in the front wall 6 of the casing. Two clamping arms I6 and I'I are supported on thefront wall. These arms haverabbeted ears I8 and I9 (Fig. 4) which embrace a pin 20 having an operating handle 2l provided preferably with anl eye 22 into which a tool may be inserted for the vpurpose of turning thepin. The clamping arms I6 and I1 carry arcuate members.23 andv24 having grooves 25 therein. The grooves 25may bev roughened to Yafford additional friction, but should not have teeth or other projections which are likely to damage the cable-26 .when itisrpassed around the arcuate members 23 and 24 in the grooves 25.

The pin 20 passes through a block 21 which is slidably mounted in the slot I5 so that the assembly may move longitudinally of the casing 5. Be.- hind the front wall 6, the pin extends through flanges A28 projecting laterally from the lower side edges of block 21, the flanges having a plurality of ratchet teeth 29 at their outer lateral edges. Secured to the pin 26 is a member 30 having lateral arms 3I which act as cam members to engage arms 32 and 33 pivoted at 34 and 35 on the casing 5 and urged toward each other by a spring 36. The arms 32 and 33 have ratchet teeth 3l which are adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 29. Another plate 38 overlies the plate 36 and the arms 32 and 33 to hold the latter in proper position. The arms 32 and 33 Yare moved outwardly to release the ratchet teeth by turning the pin 20 about its axis to the position shown inFigs. 5 and 6. When the pin is turned through an angle of from the position therein shown, the spring 36 will draw the arms together to reengage the ratchet teeth. The function of the arms 32 and 33 will be explained hereinafter.

A second pin 39, having an operating handle i0 with an eye 4I extends through a slot 42 in the clamping arm I6 and through theslot I5 in the front wall 6 of the casing. A locking arm 43 is secured to the pin 39, the pin being adapted to turn about its axis so that the arm 43 may be disposed in the position indicated in Fig. 3, in which it is ineffective, or turned through an angle of 90 to engage a wall 44 in the casing 5, the wall 44 forming an abutment which blocks movement of the assembly in the slot I5 when the arm 63 is in the latter position.

.The clamping arms I6 and I'I engage sloping 'shoulders and 4 6 forming abutments at .the

lower end of the casing 5 with overlying edges 41 to hold the parts in proper relation. At their forward ends, the clamping arms I6 and |1 carry gripping members 48 and 49 which are removably supported in slots provided for the purpose. The gripping members 48 and 49 are held by removable plates 50 and 5| so that they may be removed and other gripping members substituted therefor. The gripping members 48 and 49 are, for example, formed to grip and hold` a 5/a"'steel cable. If a smaller cable such a f" cable is to be used, interchangeable gripping members 48 and 49, which are carried in the compartment may be substituted therefor.V

Other gripping members of suitable size for use with cables of different dimensions may be employed, As shown in Fig. 7, the gripping members 48 and 49 are provided with cable receiving slots 52 and 53 and are adapted to force the sections of the cable 26 into close relation so that they are firmly clamped when the clamping Aassembly is in its cable-clamping position.

The casing 5 is provided `with lugs 54 and 55 adapted to be connected by a bolt 56, thus providing an eye to receive -a hook or turnbuckle (not shown) which may .be connected to a crane, winch, capstan or the like, or to some fixed member.

In usingithedevice, the handle 2| of the pin is turned to the position indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 to rotate the cam members 3| to move the arms 32 and 33 away from the flanges 28 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In this position, the teeth 31 are out of engagement with the teeth 29, so that the clamping arm assembly may be moved in theslot Y|5. The handle 40 of the pin 39 is turned to the position indicated in Fig. 6, thusmovingthe locking arm 43 so that its end engages the Wall 44. g Before the locking arm 43 may be turned, the clamping arms 6 and |1 must be moved rearwardly in the slot I5 toward the lugs 54 and 55, thus` permitting the armsto spread apart as shown in Fig. 6. This permits the rigger to reeve the end or a bight of the cable between the gripping members 48 and 49, about the arcuate members 23 and 24 in the groove 25, the cable being then brought again between the gripping members 48 and 49. The handle 40 of the pin 39 is then turned to the position indicated in Fig. 5 thus moving arm 43 away from the abutment 44. As soon as strain is applied to the cable, the assembly is forced forwardly along the slot I5 toward the shoulders 45 and 46, and the clamping arms |6 and I1 are brought together by the camming action of` the abutments 45 and 46. This causes the gripping members 48 and 49 to rmly grip the cable, while the frictional engagement of the cable -in the grooves 25 tends to hold it in fixed position. The handle 40 of the pin 39 is then turned back to the position shown in Figs. l through 3, allowing the springs 36 to move the arms 32 and 33 toward each other, so that the the teeth 31 engage the teeth 29 on the flanges 28. Engagement of the ratchet teeth 31 with the ratchet teeth 29 prevents rearward movement of the clamping arm assembly even though the tension is slackened, and the cable is thus rmly held until it is intentionally released.

, To release the cable, the handle 2| of the pin 2U is turned tothe position indicated in Fig. 6. thus again causing the arms 32 and 33 to move apart and release the ratchet teeth 31 from the ratchet teeth 29. This permits movement of the clamping arm 'assembly rearwardly in the slot 4 |5 so that the clamping arms |6 and |1 are separated to release the cable which can be then removed from the clamp.

When the clamp is open, if the locking arm 43 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 6, the clamp will not close inadvertently and lock the cable before it is properly assembled with the clamp, even though some strain may be placed upon the cable. Hence the rigger may insert the cable easily and with assurance against injury to his hands during the operation. When the cable has been properly inserted, the locking arm 43 is shifted readily to permit gripping of the cable as soon as tension is applied thereto.

The device as described is useful for many purposes' in' which steel cables are employed. It may be used, for example, in pulling heavy members of structural steel into place on bridges and buildings, to hold temporary guys during construction, for lashing down deck loads on cargo ships and high loads on heavy trucks. Another use is to hook up preventer cables on cargo booms. These, of course, are merely some of the Vapplications of the device, which may be used wherever it is necessary to maintain a loop in a steel wire cable. v

The device is simple in construction and sturdy. It may be operated easily to accomplish its intended purpose, and it is safe and certain in operation.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A cable clamp comprising a support whose walls define a chamber within said support. one of said walls having a rectilinear slot through it communicating with said chamber, Ya clamping arm assembly selectively slidable rectilinearly along said slot by application of a rectilinear force to said clamping arm assembly to a cableclamping position and a cable-releasing position, said clamping arm assembly including a pair of clamping arms extending externally of said chamber along the support generally in the direction of movement of said clamping arm assembly, a pair of complementary arcuatelyshaped members at one end of the clamping arm assembly having complementary grooves in their outer faces in which the loop of a cable may be positioned, one of said members being carried by one of vsaid clamping arms and the other of said members being carried by the other of said clamping arms,a pair of gripping elements carried at the inner sides of the clamping arms adjacent the opposite end of the clamping arm assembly having complementary slots in their inner faces for holding a cable when the gripping elements are forced toward one another, a carrying plate movable within said chamber along said slot, a second plate carried by said carrying plate and positioned within said chamber, said second plate having ratchet teeth along at least one of its edges, a cam member carried by said carrying plate, a rotatable pin connecting the clamping arms to said carrying plate, said cam member being rotatable with said pin, a second rotatable pin connecting the clamping arms to said carry- King plate and a locking arm carried by said carrying plate rotatable with said second pin, at least one movable arm mounted on said support having` ratchet teeth engageable with the ratchet teeth on said second platev to prevent movement of said-clamping arm assembly out of its cableclamping position, said movable'arm being yieldingly urged toward said second plate to engage its ratchet teeth with the ratchet'teeth on'said second plate, said cam member being operable when rotated to move said movable arm away fromsaid second plate to disengage the ratchet teeth of said movable arm fromthe ratchet teeth .of said second plate to'permit movement of said clamping arm assembly'from its cable-clamping to'its vcable-releasing position, an abutment on said support in said chamber extending substantially perpendicularly to said slot, said locking arm 'being operable when rotated into engagement with said abutment to prevent movement of said'clamping arm assembly from its cablereleasing position to its cable-clamping position, and a vpair of outstanding shoulders extending from opposite sides of said one of the support Walls generally in the direction of movement of said clamping arm assembly and converging f toward one another toward one end of said support, said shoulders having grooves in which the outer sides of the clamping'arms ride, so that the gripping elements are forced toward one another into gripping position when the clamping arm assembly is moved in said slot from itscablereleasing position toward said end of the support to its cable-clamping position.

2. A cable clamp comprising a support, a clamping arm assembly mounted on and slidable rectilinearly along the support selectively to a cable-clamping position and a cable-releasing position, the clamping arm assembly including a pair of clamping arms pivoted together at one end thereof and extending along the support generally in the direction of movement of the clamping arm assembly, one set of corresponding faces of said clamping arms extending substantially in a single plane parallel to the direction of movement of the clamping arm assembly, one of a pair of gripping elements carried by each clamping arm at the opposite end thereof, each element having a gripping surface extending away from the clamping arms on one side of said plane, the gripping surfaces of the gripping elements being opposite each other and being operable when forced toward one another to hold a cable securely between them, and one of a pair of complementary members carried by each clamping arm, said complementary members being suiiiciently spaced from said gripping elements that a cable loop may be passed between said gripping surfaces and around said complementary members, each complementary member having an outer arcuate surface on the side thereof remote from the gripping elements against which said cabie loop may bear, said arcuate surfaces of the complementary members extending away from the clamping arms on said one side of said plane, and means operable by movement of the clamping arm assembly to said cable-clamping position to shift said opposite ends of the clamping arms toward one another to force the gripping elements toward one another, whereby a cable loop passed between said gripping surfaces of the gripping elements and around the complementary members outward of said clamping arm faces is securely held by the gripping members when the clamping arm assembly is in its cable-clamping position.

3. A cable clamp as deiined in claim 2 having locking means for preventing inadvertent movement of the clamping arm assembly from its said cable-clamping position to its said cable-releasing position.

'4. 'A cable clamp as dened in claim 3 in which saidlocking means comprises ratchet teeth on th'e'clamping'arm assembly, at least one arm pivotally mounted on said support and having teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth, and a cam movable'to engage said pivotally-mounted armand move it to move its teeth out of engagement with said `ratchet teeth, said pivotallymounted arm being yieldingly urged to a position to engage its teeth with the ratchet teeth.

5. A cable clamp as defined in claim 2 having means for preventing movement of the clamping arm'assembly from its said cable-releasing position to its said cable-clamping position.

-6. A cable clamp as defined in claim 5 in vwhich said support has an abutment extending across the direction of movement of the clamping arm assembly and said movement preventing-means comprises a locking arm rotatable to engage said abutment when the clamping arm assembly is in its said cable-releasing position to prevent movement of said clamping arm assembly to its said cable-clamping position.

7. A cable clamp as dened in claim '2in which said means operable by movement of the clamping arm assembly comprises a pair of shoulders on opposite sides of said support at the end thereof remote from said complementary members and extending away from the clamping arms on said one side of said plane, said shoulders each having a cam surface extending in the direction of movement of the clamping arm assembly and on the inner side of the shoulder, said cam surfaces converging toward the end of the support adjacent said gripping elements, the outer sides of the clamping arms being positioned to .bear against said cam surfaces, so that movement of the clamping arms toward said end of the support causes movement of the clamping arms toward each other.

8. A cable clamp comprising a support having walls defining a chamber within the support, one of said walls having a rectilinear slot through it, a clamping arm assembly slidable rectilinearly along said slot to a cable-clamping position and a cable-releasing position, the clamping arm assembly including a pair of clamping arms connected together at one end thereof and extending along the support generally in the direction of movement of the clamping arm assembly, one set of corresponding faces of the clamping arms extending substantially in a single plane parallel to the direction of movement of the clamping arm assembly, one of a pair of gripping elements carried by each clamping arm at the opposite and thereof, each element having its gripping surface extending away from the clamping arms on one side oi said plane, the gripping surfaces of the gripping elements being opposite each other and being operable when forced toward one another to hold a cable securely between them, one of a pair of complementary members carried by each clamping arm, said complementary members being suiciently spaced from said gripping elements that a cable loop passed between said surfaces may pass around said complementary members, each complementary member having an external arcuate surface on the side thereof remote from the gripping elements against which said cable loop may bear, said arcuate surfaces of the complementary members extending away from the clamping arms on said one side of said plane, a member within said chamber in the support connected to the clamping arms, said member having ratchet teeth on two of its sides extending in the direction of said slot, a pair of n arms pivotally mounted on the support having teeth at their inner sides, said pivotaiiy-mounted arms being yieldingly urged to engage their teeth with said ratchet teeth, a cam member movable to engage said pivotally-mounted arms and disengage the teeth of the pivotally-mounted arms from said ratchet teeth, whereby the clamping arm assembly may .be selectively held and released from said cable-clamping position, and means operable by movement of the clamping arm assembly to its cable-clamping position to shift said opposite ends of the clamping arms toward one another to force Jthe gripping elements toward one another, whereby a cable loop passed between scid gripping surfaces of the gripping elements and around the complementary members lies outward of said clamping arm faces and is securely held by the gripping members when the clamping arm assembly is in its cable-clamping position.

9. A cable clamp as defined in claim 8 in which said support has an abutment extending across said chamber in a direction other than that of said slot and said clamp has a locking arm carried by the clamping arms within said chamber movable to engage said abutment to prevent movement of the clamping arm assembly to its said cable-clamping position.

JOHN EDER.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

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